


The dove and the thief

by imera



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, Prostitution, Threats, alternative universe, alternative universe - Western
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 16:37:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4229106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imera/pseuds/imera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lydia is the owner of a brothel, and is doing quite well when two strangers ride into town. It turns out the strangers are not just passing through, they have a plan, and Lydia ends up in the middle between one of the new men and the sheriff in town, Gerard, a man who is not known for any good deeds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story that grew from a tiny seed where I imagined Lydia as a prostitute, but a strong one. And to my utter shock, I finished it (even though I have a few ideas for another part).
> 
> Lots of sweet thanks to the artist, thilia, for giving me such awesome cover art and an art for a later scene. She's an artist I've admired for a long time.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The sunset was magnificent, red orange and yellow colours exploding across the sky. She loved the sunset, even though it meant the end of the day. The end of one day didn’t have to be bad, as it also meant a fresh start, or as fresh as possible in the town she was in. She pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders, the warmth of the day disappearing with the sun. That was one of the perks by living higher up the hill, they had light far longer than the ones in the town.

The laughter of a girl broke through her peaceful state, her gentleman caller must have said something funny, or maybe he was tickling her, like some liked to do. A faint grunting noise was heard from another room as they were enjoying each other’s company. Lydia knew the man was married, but it didn’t bother her as it was her job to make money, and it was their choice to cheat. As soon as anyone entered _Lotta’s fun house_ , they were a customer, and Lydia tried her hardest to give them exactly what they wanted. Lotta, the woman who originally owned the establishment before Lydia, moved away two years earlier, as she opened a saloon in a bigger town. Lydia was one of the girls, or doves as they were also called, back then, and decided to buy the fun house with the inheritance she was left after her mother died.

Even though she had money to buy the establishment she still struggled at times, and if she didn’t have a friend like Allison Argent, the granddaughter of the sheriff in town, her girls would have starved a few months earlier. The Argent’s were rich, and the Sheriff helped her when she really needed it, lending her the money she needed to keep the girls fed and safe. The Sheriff liked her, which was why he helped her in other ways as well, like taking care of customers who refused to listen, or tried to take more than they paid for. She didn’t know him as well as she knew the rest of the family, as he’d moved there some years earlier, but he was good to her.

She could see the sheriff in the distance, his bald head glistening in the pale light as he walked up the road which lead to her establishment, his two guards following him, ready to protecting him if needed. Knowing what he wanted, she turned away from the window and went to fetch the the money in the drawer downstairs. It was ordinary taxes that was demanded by everyone in town.

Lydia was already waiting besides the door when they knocked, pulling the shawl tighter around her blue dress. Opening the door she smiled as sweetly as she could. “Good evening Sheriff,” she greeted.

“Good evening to you as well. I assume everything is well tonight.” Almost as if to show him just how well things were a girl screamed loudly, but not out of pain. The next that happened was that a door flung open and she ran half naked through the hallway, followed by an equally half naked man.

“Yes, everything is perfectly well,” she said, avoiding the stares from Gerard’s men. However, their looks were nothing compared to the ones Gerard had as he stared at her. She was used to men wanting her, but there was something else with the way he watched her, as if he did more than desire her. “Here is the payment,” she said and handed him the bank notes. Instead of simply leaving with the notes he grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his lips, kissing it lightly.

“Always a pleasure,” he said and smiled. Lydia acted as if it didn’t bother her, but she couldn’t help wanting to pull her hand out of his grip and close the door in his face. She didn’t trust him, and it had nothing to do with his age, or looks, as she had been with older men, and even uglier men. He released her hand shortly after, then put his hat on and left with a big grin. Lydia stayed still a few seconds, as if his smile had turned her into stone. Once she was able to move again she closed the door and went to look at the schedule for the girls, as the next day was Friday, as well as payday, which meant full house.

After adding a few notes she was ready to take a well deserved break, so she found a book which she thought was interesting. Some guests believed the books were simply decorations, as the themes of the books were not something they expected a woman to read, like the one Lydia held in her hand, which was about the human body and different illnesses that had been documented. It wasn’t one of the easiest reads, but it had some interesting information she thought was good to know. Her mind was hungry for knowledge, and after living in the same town her whole life, she needed something to keep herself occupied with.

When the clock struck eleven that evening she put the book down next to the reading lamp, and too her round through the house, knocking on the girls’ bedrooms, telling them that if the men wished to stay the night they had to pay. Some did, while others slowly dressed themselves and left.

It was due to Lydia’s determination to change the reputation of the establishment that they rarely faced problems like men who didn’t pay, or men who endangered the lives of the girls working there. Lotta was good, but she mostly cared about profit, which often put the girls at risk, or which exhausted them as Lotta didn’t think they needed to rest between their customers. It wasn’t until much later that Lydia also discovered just what a large cut Lotta took from the payment for their services.

Everything changed when Lydia took over, and while the girls had to help out far more often, they were given better conditions, and higher payments, so none of them really complained. They could hire cleaners, but the ones she found actually willing to clean their establishment wanted a far higher price because of their business.

Tired after a long day, she climbed into her large and comfortable bed, pulling the layers of blankets around herself, loving the heat they provided. She yawned once, and before she was aware of it, fell into a deep sleep.

✽

The next morning began just like the previous ones. She woke up, washed herself with the clean cold water in her room, and went to check on the girls. It was stupid to think of them as her girls, as at least half of them were even older than she was, but it was an expression she learned from Lotta, who --even though she took far more than she should have-- cared about them in her own way. The men who stayed the night was offered breakfast, for an extra coin, which most accepted as it cost just as much as in town.

Lydia was ready to begin a new day, which she believed would be just as uneventful as the previous days. She was unaware of the changes that would come riding in on the east wind, which would stir up the way everyone lived.

It was around lunch time that she saw the strangers for the first time. They were two, riding in on black horses which matched their dark clothes, their hats pulled down over their faces, and the bottom of their face hidden behind a bandanna. She watched them as they rode past the brothel and continued into the town, looking as if they had a goal. Except for their mysterious behaviour there wasn’t much difference between them and the rest of the men in the town, but Lydia couldn’t help feeling as if not everything was right.

She pushed the two strangers out of her mind as she had far more important things to worry about, like setting up a schedule for that day, trying to please the men’s requests. All of the girls wanted customers that night, even though some of them had even two customers the previous day. Slowly the guests arrived, paying for the girls they wanted, then waiting until everything was set.

It began to darken outside when Lydia filled her bag with banknotes from the safe, she needed to place an order in town, and while there were some she trusted, she wanted to do it herself. Luckily for her she had someone who helped her watch the counter twice a week during those evenings, when Lydia needed a break from the establishment. He was a simple man, who didn’t mind giving an extra hand, for a silver coin that was.

Holding the clutch close to her chest she walked in a fast and determined pace down the road, knowing she had fifteen minutes before she was safe in the shop. She wasn’t afraid for robbers attacking her, but losing the money meant the girls would suffer as well, and that was something she wasn’t willing to do. Of course, she could rush off to the sheriff and ask for help, but she wanted to limit her contact between herself and that man. She could hear a few horses neigh in the distance, but the only person she heard was herself, her shoes clicking against the ground, and the hem of her dress brushing against the dirty path.

By the time she reached the shop it was completely dark outside, but she made it. The two men standing behind the counter watched her suspiciously, as they always did. She didn’t know the boy that well, as they had barely talked together when they were younger, as she had many friends back then, and she was two years older. The man, however, was old and grumpy, who wasn’t afraid of showing his distaste for anyone who he didn’t think behaved properly, and she was one of the worst. As she was used to his nasty behaviour, she got better at pretending she didn’t notice.

Pulling out a list from her clutch, she gave them her order of everything her establishment needed, anything from eggs and flour, to perfume and soap. They wrote down the order and gave her the price, which she paid for at once, as well as the order to be delivered the next day, or as soon as some of the missing orders arrived into town. The older man stared at the money on the counter as if it was contagious, leaving the younger boy to handle it. Lydia wanted to roll her eyes, but instead smiled and acted as is he hadn’t noticed, thanked them and left.

Once outside the shop she walked towards the saloon, as she still had a few hours left before she needed to return to her home. The saloon was smoke-filled, loud and smelly, everything the fun house wasn’t. She smiled as she entered the room, greeting two men who drunkenly rose their arms as they recognised her. Unlike the old shopkeeper, most people in the town treated her with some respect. She knew they whispered about her behind her back, but she decided years earlier that no matter what they said she would continue to hold her head high and do whatever her heart desired. Luckily most men she’d slept with were no longer in town.

One of the saloon girls gave her a nasty look, while another greeted her politely. The women were far more threatened by her than the men were, as they feared she would deliberately steal their sweethearts, or tempt their husbands, as blaming her for their problems were far easier than trying to please their own men.

She moved between the tables which were occupied by men playing cards, or men who was so drunk they forgot where they lived. She kindly greeted the ones who took their time looking at her, and tried not to disturb the ones occupied.

“What will it be?” the bartender asked as she made her way to his counter.

“A little rum,” she said as she smiled, loving the energy in the room, even though half the people were almost blacked out. The piano played in the background, and someone were singing, badly, but their energy was contagious. Laughter and chatter spread through the room, and people got up off their chairs to dance.

Lydia turned to watch the spectacle, but her attention was caught by someone else, one of the strangers. He was sitting in the shadow, his black clothes making him even less noticeable as colourful dresses moved around him, most men in town wore more colours than the he did. Feeling slightly uncomfortable being caught staring, she moved her gaze away from the stranger, but her eyes were back on him within a few seconds, watching him as he watched her. While being stared at wasn’t unusual, there was something different with the way he did it, as if she possessed something he craved. His eyes burned into her until her skin felt cold and warm at the same time.

She turned, facing the bar, but even then she could feel his eyes on her, undressing her in the most seductive way. She released a small moan while closing her eyes, somehow imagining him caressing her neck. She didn’t care if he was a stranger, not when she could feel his strong arms holding her tightly.

Lydia might have joined Lotta’s fun house because she had a sexual need --which the boys she knew couldn’t satisfy-- but none of the men she was with stopped her hunger. Her body burned as she sat there, and for a second she pondered about running out of the building, wondering if it would look as ridiculous as she felt in that moment.

She forgot all about her escape as she noticed someone moving next to her, and as she cast a glance at the newcomer she had to hold her breath so not to moan as she discovered it was the mysterious man.

“I couldn’t help noticing the way you invited me over with your eyes,” he said in a calm, but rough voice.

Lydia sipped her drink, avoiding him as long as possible. “I didn’t,” she replied and faced him again, regretting it at once as his eyes swallowed her. His gaze felt strong when they were in separate parts of the room, but up close his eyes sent chill after chill down her body before her temperature increasing until she feared her body would ignite itself. A fantasy of his hands on her body filled her mind, which forced her to look away.

“Well, maybe it was simply the way you stared at me, as if you wanted me.” Lydia wondered if it was that obvious, only to tell herself that she was foolish for thinking he could see it, he was clearly flirting. She wondered what he would do if he knew who she was, and what she worked as. Of course, being a pleasure girl, or a former one at least, she was used to seeing men only once, so if she had invited him to her bed and he was gone the next day it wouldn’t have bothered her. _So why do I feel the sadness when I think about never seeing him again?_  Maybe it was the way he watched her with the intensity which made her knees weak and her her heart go faster, as if she was a young girl in love again. It wasn’t love, no, it was something else, a craving unlike any other she had felt, and it scared her.

She took another sip of her drink, feeling foolish for the fire that had grown inside her. “Want is such a strong word, I was simply wondering who you were.” _Liar!_  Want could barely cover the emotions which passed through her at that moment.

She regretted asking him about his name as soon as the words left her lips, especially as it gave him an opportunity to ask for hers. “I’m Peter Hale,” the man said, his crooked smile sending pleasing tingles through her body over and over again till her skin prickled. She took a long look at his face, his eyes blue, his skin lightly tanned, and his face covered with scruffy looking stubbles. Combined with the intensity of his glare, and his dark outfit, he looked like the perfect thief, who would steal both gold and the hearts of girls. “And your name is?”

“None of your business,” she replied with a smile, wondering what his response would be.

“Aren’t you something,” he said in an amused tone. “Care to let me buy you a drink?”

“Once I’m done with this I’m going home, so it will be wasted.” She took a third sip, larger than the previous ones as she feared what she would do if she stayed with him for much longer.

“Such a shame.”

“You can always ask one of the other girls in here,” she suggested.

“Why would I do such a thing, as none of the others intrigue me like you do.” She watched him closely, not certain what to make of his behaviour. His intense glare continued to send tingles through her body. She hoped he wasn’t able to see just how excited she was by his presence, by standing so close to him. She let her eyes wander down his body, knowing he was fully aware of her taking him in. “Do you find me uninteresting?” Lydia doubted he was serious, but it would be impolite not to reply.

“Not uninteresting,” she said and took one last sip of her glass of rum. There was still some left, but Lydia wanted to leave as she feared she would invite him to spend the night with her if she stayed. “Well, I have to go now.”

“What me to follow you home?”

“No, that will be fine, I’m not afraid of the dark.” He smiled and nodded as she said goodbye, Lydia imagined he watched her until she left the saloon, which is something she would have done herself, if the roles were reversed. She held her breath as she walked further and further away from the saloon, releasing it slowly when she was so far away that nobody were able to hear her strange gasp of excitement.

Peter wasn’t the first to approach her as she took a drink in the saloon, but he was the first who interested her so much she would have paid him to have sex with her.

Taking deep breaths she returned home, looking forward to lie down in her bed after she had taking a routine checkup with the girls. Only one of the male guests protested, but quickly left as Lydia threatened to ban him forever.

When everything was taken care of she went to bed, her mind still on the stranger as her hand moved down her body, between her legs, and into the hot cave which she wished was filled by him. It was wishful thinking, but in that moment all she care about was the fantasies of him kissing her, of him taking her until she was exhausted. Coming, she closed her eyes and thought back at the saloon, wondering if he found someone else the moment she left. It shouldn’t matter, but Lydia found herself jealous as she imagined the stranger occupied with someone else that night.

Tired, she rolled around the bed until she found the perfect position. Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The delivery boy came in early the next morning, he was one of the farmer boys that lived further away from the town and delivered the orders to people on his road for a little money. He wasn’t aware of everything that happened in town, but as he’d been there two days, he could have some information Lydia wanted.

“Do you know anything about the strangers that rode into town?” she asked as she helped him unload.

“The new guys? Don’t know much, but there are some rumours, not that we should always trust rumours, I doubt any of them are true, pf them being a part of a travelling freak show, or looking for wives, or them being bountyhunters. The only thing I know for sure is that they are looking for jobs.” Lydia thought about it for a second, finding it difficult to imagine Peter working, although imagining him half naked out on the field wasn’t a bad fantasy. “Oh, the young one, he rarely goes out, it’s like he’s afraid of the town.”

“Young one?” she asked, knowing there were two, but as she only saw the top of their hats she didn’t know if they were young or old.

“Yeah, must be ten, or fifteen years younger that the older one, can’t be for sure as he’s never spoken, maybe he’s mute, poor bastard.” The boy didn’t know anything else about them, and left as soon as he was done.

Lydia thought about the two strangers, well, she tried to think about both, but ended up concentrating on one of them in particular. Unfortunately she had plenty of work she needed to finish around the house, so she gathered her doves and gave them each tasks.

✽

That evening men flooded to the fun house, their pockets full of money and cock hard. The doves were occupied keeping the men happy in the entertaining room, their glasses always filed with some kind of liquid, which often loosened the men’s willingness to pay.

Because there were more men than pleasure girls at that moment, some had to wait, and while some were bothered by that most were happy with their drink. Lydia stood behind the counter, writing down notes behind each name, details about how much the men paid and how much time they spent with each. She was concentrating on the book when a shadow entered the building. “Please wait a second,” she told the newcomer without looking up as she finished her note.

Done she put down the quill and looked up. To her utter shock she was looking straight at Peter Hale, the mysterious stranger who had a gaze so intense she forgot to breathe when he stood near by. Lydia was annoyed when she saw he was smiling, which was most likely because he figured out where she worked, or because of the shock which she was certain showed. Unfortunately for her, she also found the look to be quite sexy.

The room was dark, the only light coming from a few candles along the wall, and the lamp next to her book. The little light cast shadows across his face made him look even more dark and mysterious, which pleased her imagination.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, not wanting to accuse him of stalking, even though he most likely was.

“I’ve come to see what kind of offers you have.” For a second Lydia thought he meant her, but then remembered the rest of the girls.

“We’re fully booked, there won’t be any openings until at least two or three hours from now.” In that exact moment one of the doves walked past them, with a quite willing older man following close by.

“Well, the night is still young.” The way he walked in, behaving as if he was of the highest rank, was quite annoying, but Lydia stayed calm as she didn’t want the man to think she was rude. “What is the price of these beautiful ladies?” Lydia cast a glance over at the smoke filled entertaining area, wondering which girl might be willing to accept the stranger, finding herself quite jealous of the thought.

“Anything between fifty cent and one dollar.”

“Quite high price, and they are all americans?”

“I refuse to lower their prices because of birth,” she said in a strict voice. “I pay them based on experience, not because of their skin colour, so if you feel like paying less, please visit our sister town, they have cheaper doves.” Under Lotta’s care they were priced based on the colour of their skin, like everyone else did, like it was normal to do, but working with such girls Lydia realised the unfairness. The pricing was one of the first things she changed when she took over. Some girls didn’t like the change, but Lydia refused to listen to their complaints and told them they could go somewhere else if they wished; most stayed as she was still offering them a fair price, far better than other places. Some men stopped visiting as they couldn’t get laid cheaply, but Lydia barely noticed the drop as the men who did stay enjoyed the quality she offered.

“I don’t mind paying, it was just a remark.”

“Then do me a favour and keep your remarks to yourself.”

“And what will I get for such a favour?” The ordasity the man had almost shocked her, and yet she felt excited thinking about him, _why do I still want him in that way?_  she asked herself, almost blushing at the thought of him naked. She hadn’t been around him much, but she was certain she could not keep away from such fantasies.

“I will not ask you to leave, how does that sound,” she replied calmly, not even giving him a playful smile.

“Sounds reasonable,” he said and pulled out a cigarette from his holder, lightening it in front of her before puffing it a few times. Lydia stared at his lips, holding her breath as she feared to release the excited sounds her body threatened to make. “I will wait inside, in case one of the doves has some time left.” Lydia watched him closely as he walked past her, not even giving her a last glance. His behaviour was annoying, but she was still breath taken by his conduct.

The minutes passed, more girls took their customers to their rooms, their faces flustered as the men whispered both sweet and dirty things into their ears. Lotta’s fun house had gained a good reputation since Lydia took over, and it was one of her proud accomplishments.

Peter never went upstairs with anyone, but she did notice from time to time that some doves approached him, only to leave shortly after. She wasn’t surprised by their curiosity, as he was far better looking than most usual visitors, so seeing him sitting there alone did surprise her. He was occupying one of the seats which had a view of the whole entertaining room, as well as the hallway, giving him perfect view of her. From time to time she stole a glance or two, trying to keep them short so he wouldn’t notice her, only that more than once she caught him watching her. It was as intense as in the saloon, full of desire and lust.

She tried to keep herself occupied planning the next day, trying her hardest to avert her eyes from him, which worked splendidly, until he approached her again a few hours later.

“Looks like the pretty doves are occupied with their nightly activities,” he said, interrupting her attempt to put him out of her mind.

“You are welcomed to leave,” she said, loathing the way his mere presence affected her body.

Instead of simply leaving as she hoped he would, he pulled out a silver coin from from his pocket and showed it to Lydia, she stared at the coin, not sure what he planning to do. “I don’t want to go empty handed, I want to know your name,” he said with a smile.

Lydia could feel her jaw clenching as she stared at the coin. Her name wasn’t worth a silver coin, so why on earth would he pay that much for it? He was a strange man, which made her wonder what he was really doing there in the first place. Did he discover she ran the place, or was it by coincidence that he entered the establishment. If the first then he already knew her name.

“You can call me your highness,” she replied after some consideration. For some reason she didn’t want to give him her name, even though he most likely knew it. He nodded, smiled and placed the coin on the counter, then he left without a word.

She stared at the coin, imagining her feelings were similar to the shopkeeper, feeling as if the coin was somehow tainted. _A coin is a coin,_  she told herself, taking it from the counter and placing it in the back of the safe.

✽

Lydia didn’t know what the stranger, Mr Hale, would do next, but seeing him in the entrance of her establishment the next evening was not something she expected. He was still dressed all in black, his hat pulled down so it almost hid his eyes. “Are you mourning?” she asked before he had a chance to say anything.

“Why do you ask?” He took off his hat, revealing his intense blue eyes.

“Since you first rode into town I’ve only seen you in black.” She tried to act as normal as possible, hoping that he might not notice just how difficult she found it standing so close to him was, even though there was at least ten feet between them

“No, I’m not in mourning.” The room was dark, as it often was during the evenings, but Lydia could still see the way he gazed at her, probably fantasizing about her body.

“Are you here to see anyone in particular? Some girls are occupied, but we have plenty left.” The day after payday was always slower, but they had plenty of visitors.

“How much do you cost?” he asked as he walked towards her. Lydia’s dress felt far too tight as he watched her, his smirk thrilled her, turning her mind into an unrecognisable mush.

“I’m not for sale,” she replied, glad her anticipation didn’t echo in her voice.

“Oh, come on now, everyone are for sale; even a priest is, for the right price.” Her throat was dry, and she held her breath as he leaned closer. She was glad there was a counter between them, if not then she didn’t know what she would do.

“Even if I had a price it would be too high for you.”

She barely finished before he pulled out a gold coin from his pocket. “One?” It was a gold coin, something she’s seen only when she was a child when her parents were alive. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t give into extortion, even if it was more of an offer. She shook her head, wanting to take a step back as she feared what she would do with him there. He placed the coin on the counter, his gaze never leaving her eyes.

“Two,” he continued, pulling another gold coin from his pocket, but even then her answer was still no. Peter took two small steps towards the corner of the counter, placing the gold coin on the countertop as he moved.

“Three.” He didn’t look at her, so he couldn’t see her shaking her head, but yet he continued to pull out gold coins and place them on the countertop, leaving a trail of coins as he walked.

“Four.” He reached the end, slowly walking around the curve until he faced her, slowly making his way towards her. Lydia instinctively took a step back, only to feel the hard wall against her back.

“Five.” He didn’t stop, closing the gap between them.

“Sex.” She stared at him, having to think about his words before she was sure of what he said.

“You mean six?” she asked.

“No, sex.” He placed the sixth coin on the counter, then closed the remaining space between them, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Her mind went blank as he leaned closer, his lips inches away from hers. “Should I go higher?” Lydia barely heard him as she was occupied watching his lips.

“Why are you doing this?” She wanted to add _I’m not worth it,_  but truth be told, she thought she was worth far more than six gold coins.

“Because you intrigue me.” His answer excited her, but she didn’t know just how much of it she should believe. Her mind barely worked as it was, so she didn’t try to analyse what he said too deeply, as she feared she would confuse herself.

She waited, expecting him to kiss her, only to become frustrated when he didn’t do anything. “Do you want to kiss me?” he asked, making her hate herself for the answer she knew he wanted to hear, for the answer she would give.

Instead of telling him what she wanted, she decided to show him. Lydia pressed her lips against his, his scruffy beard poked her delicate skin, but none of it mattered as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss until it left her breathless. She could feel his hand on her neck, his fingers rubbing against her soft skin as the kiss continued. When he finally pulled away she had to grab a hold of the counter, as all of her strength seemed to vanish from her legs. “Do you have a room?” he whispered close to her ear. Lydia nodded.

She was so aroused she almost forgot the six gold coins on the counter. Not wanting to waste time opening the safe, she took them all and pushed them down her pocket, then lead the way.

Peter behaved well from the moment they left the hall, up until when she closed her bedroom door behind her. Once the door was locked he didn’t waste any time before grabbing a hold of her, pressing her body against the door and kissed her neck, as she was facing the door. She managed to turn her body around, moaning lightly as his lips moved down her neck, and his hands roamed every inch of her. Lydia’s hands didn’t obey that time, moving up and down his body as well, tugging his shirt out of his pants before just as eagerly undid the buttons. Feeling his chest against the palm of her hand thrilled her, and she wasn’t able to hold back a deep groan, which seemed to excite him further as he took pressed his lips against hers and moaned  into her mouth. He had to pull away not long after as her dress needed his attention. With eager fingers he undid the dress, almost ripping it in two as he struggled with the tiny buttons. He then undid the corset, pulling at the strings until they were finally off. She was then standing there with minimal clothing, but before she let him undress her further she wanted to do something as well so she reached for his shirt, unfastening the last two buttons before pushing the shirt and the black vest off his broad shoulders. He wasn’t the youngest she had been with, but he was fit, like one of the Greek statuses she remembered from one of the books about the Greek gods.

Lydia pulled him in for a kiss, her lips eagerly tasting his as her tongue playfully darted into his mouth, teasing. A pair of hands moved across her body, cupping her breasts through the chemise, squeezing them softly. She didn’t waste time and reached for his pants, opening them only to push them down his legs, revealing an impressive size. His hands tightened around her arms as he pulled her up into another kiss, moaning loudly as her fingers wrapped themselves around the length of his dick. Her hand didn’t stay there for long as he lacked patience.

He pulled the chemise over her head, revealing her breasts, then he licked one nipple before taking it into his mouth, biting hard enough to make her gasp. Seconds later he moved his hands down her body, pushing her drawers off, then taking care of her shoes and stockings. Lydia was quite confident about her body, so she didn’t try to hide any of it as she stood naked in front of him. Stepping out of the bundle of clothes that pooled around her ankles, she lay a hand on his chest and pushed him towards the bed, giggling as he had to walk in a funny way because his pants and boots were still on. She gave him a last push and he fell on top of the bed, his arms spread as fear of falling must have struck him a brief moment. She reached for his boots, pulling each one off before ripping his pants off, enjoying undressing him roughly.

“Aren’t you eager,” he joked.

“I’m not allowed to be?” Lydia climbed the bed, straddling him and leaned down to give him a kiss. “Or would you prefer me to lie still, and blush as you deflower me? It’s your decision, as you bought my services,” she said, hating to think of it in that way, but the truth was that she took the money, which meant he paid for her.

“I want you to do everything you want to, and let me do anything I want to.” His answer pleased her, so she kissed him passionately, the complete opposite of what a blushing bride would have done. Grabbing his cock, she positioned it so she could slip it in with ease, as she was as slippery as a bar of soap. He grunted as his cock entered her, filling her up quite perfectly. His eyes closed for a minute as he held her hips, helping her move back and forth, riding his cock faster and faster until she found the right amount of friction. She was close, maybe because she hadn’t been with anyone in a while, which was maybe why she wanted him that much.

He pulled her down, kissing her as he slowly rolled their bodies around until he was on top. With firm thrusts, he fucked her up to the point where all she could do in response was simply lie there, hold on tight and enjoy everything. While he held himself up with one hand, he placed the other around her neck, rubbing a few seconds before lightly pressing. Her hand moved to his, but instead of stopping him she held it; for some strange reason she trusted the man. Slowly it became harder to breathe, and not only because of his hand, but because she forgot to breathe from time to time.

Her head spun around as a warm feeling pulsed through her body; she was almost there, all it took was a few more thrusts. Lydia groaned, the last air from her lungs making it through her blocked throat, her nails digging into his skin, her mind went blank as if it was too much pleasure for her. He released her throat a second later and held her firmly, taking her so hard she heard the bed move, the heavy oak bed. Not long after he came as well, grunting as he forced his cock inside her a few more times.

Lydia smiled as the world around her returned to normal, loving the way his body floated above her, before he pulled out and lay down next to Lydia.

They lay in complete silence several minutes. Lydia hated those moments, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment after the amazing orgasm she just had.’

She didn’t want to talk, but as she realised just how late it was she knew she needed to ask him if he planned to stay. “Are you planning to stay the night?” she asked, hoping his answer was no.

“I won’t intrude tonight, don’t worry.”

“But you’ll intrude another night?” Lydia turned to face him. “Does that mean you will be back for more?”

“How can I forget such a body, and such amazing sex.” Lydia couldn’t hide her smile, not when he kept staring at her body. “I would be a fool if I didn’t return.”

She wanted to say, _Yes, you would be a fool_  but then remembered the distance she wanted, as she was certain a relationship between them would not work. Unfortunately, her original idea to ignore him was no longer possible. “We’ll see, I might end up refusing you next time.”

“If you care, not necessarily about me or my needs, then you won’t deny me the pleasure of seeing you again.” He sat up and picked up his clothes, slowly dressing himself. She found her clothes as well, taking them on one by one. He was kind enough to help her with her corset, as well as the dress, and he stayed in the room as she fixed her messy hair, even though she said he could leave. When she was done, he tilted his hat, smiled wickedly, and left her room as if nothing happened between them. Lydia couldn’t help smiling a little as she remembered the way her night went by, and just what a passionate lover the stranger was. She then closed her eyes and pleaded for him to return again, as she wasn’t ready to give up on amazing sex simply because she didn’t know the man.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added the art the amazing thilia gave me, it's so beautiful.


	3. Chapter 3

Sunday wasn’t a slow day for the brothel, it was the opposite. However, even with the male visits Lydia still offered the girls a chance to go to church if they wanted, something most accepted.

Every time Lydia and her doves entered the church the room became silent. While some were verbal about what they thought of Lydia and the doves attending their church, most kept their thoughts to themselves. Lydia said nothing as she took a seat in the back, not because she was afraid of the others, but because she was worried for her girls, who didn’t always like the attention they received, and also because when the sermon became too boring she could yawn without being afraid of anyone seeing it.

She sat down, staring back at those who thought they had the power to scare her; they soon turned away when they realised Lydia would not give up. Lydia was pleased with her determination, but her pride shattered the moment _he_  walked through the doors. Images of them sharing her bed danced through her mind, causing her cheeks to burn, her heart to race faster, and a special itch between her legs which wanted to be touched.

Slowly he made his way down the aisle, reaching the front before looking back at where she sat, meeting her eyes. She wanted to turn her gaze away as his intense stare excited her, but at the same time she didn’t want it to stop.

“Are you well?” the dove to her left asked, breaking the eye contact she had with Peter.

“Yes, I’m fine.” It wasn’t the complete truth, but the girl didn’t need to know what was wrong with her.

The ceremony went by as slowly as ever, she tried to listen, but the priest was not skilled at holding their attention and she, and many others, struggled to pay attention. Her mind trailed off and took a path which she tried to tame during church, thoughts where she fantasized of men, and that day especially one man. She knew it was wrong, but impure thoughts during church would not condemn her more than her job.

Lydia and her doves were one of the first to leave, as they didn’t want to be victims of the towns people and their rude behaviour. They thanked the priest quickly before making their way up the road towards their home. Once they were home they continued their work, the men not caring if they had to work on a Sunday.

Some men were impatient, but if they weren’t first in line they had to wait for their turns. Most men were pleased with any girl, but some wanted a special girl and needed to wait for their turn. Luckily the men, most of them miners, weren’t angry that they needed to wait, maybe because they knew that being impatient and angry would only lead to them being thrown out.

After making sure the girls were fine Lydia occupied herself with preparations for the upcoming town celebration, knowing that even though they weren’t welcomed, they would still bring something to the celebration. It was fifty years since the first people settled and turned Beacon Hills into a town, and even if the town wasn’t that much to brag about, there were still some few who were proud of living there.

It was dark outside when a familiar shadow entered through the frontdoor. Lydia was occupied cleaning a clock when he walked over to her, lifting a pouch into the air before jingling it. She turned and faced him, ignoring the pouch. “Do you think you can offer me money and I will automatically take you to my room?”

“We don’t have to do it in your room, if you don’t wish so, I can gladly do it in the woods, in the streets, or even here.” Lydia struggled to hold her disapproving gaze as he joked.

“And what if my price has gone up?” The truth was that she would take him for free, but the extra money was not something she refused.

“I’m willing to match your price, as I can’t get enough of you.” His answer pleased her, but before she could accept him she had one thing to do.

Her underwear was already damp from being so near him, as she knew exactly what his touch did to her body. “Let me find someone to guard the desk while I’m occupied. Go up to my room and undress, I’ll be there shortly.” He handed her the pouch which she quickly accepted before leaving to find a girl who could take care of things. Lydia could tell by Emma’s expression that she questioned why she was ordered to the task, but she didn’t ask, neither did she refuse Lydia.

The first thing she noticed as she entered her room was the burning oil lamps. She took a step into the dark room, wondering where Peter was hiding. The next thing she knew was that the door closed and an arm pulled her into an embrace. She felt a firm and naked body behind her, and a hard cock which pressed against her ass.

She could feel his hot breath next to her ear, sending shivers down her body. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted you since our first time.” His hands eagerly pulling at her dress, bringing it over her hips until he had easy access to undergarment. Lydia smiled as he didn’t hold back his eagerness before pulling her undergarments off.

He moved her to her desk, pushing her chest on top of the surface, pushing her dress as far up as possible. Her makeup fell, but she paid them no attention as she was far more interested in him. She smiled slightly as he spread her legs, poitioning himself behind her. He wasn’t afraid to take her fast and hard, to give her something she had craved for so long. She wouldn’t give in and let him treat her like an animal, but in that moment they were fucking like a pair of wild animals. Lydia felt the desire to turn around and straddle him, and knew that if she really wanted it she could, but decided to let him continue a little longer.

She didn’t have one of her amazing orgasms at that point, but she did have several small ones, which made her moan over and over again until he came deep inside her, his fingers diggind into her hips that she was certain it would leave some bruises.

Exhausted he pulled out and helped her to the bed where he pulled her down with him. His arms pulled her in a loving embrace. She was facing him, one hand resting awkwardly betwee them, giving her the opportunity to caress his chest.

“I’ve got a gift for you,” he announced after ten minutes of silence.

“Why?” She wasn’t used to men giving her gifts, especially men who were already paying for her services. There was one a long time ago who used to lavish her in expensive gifts, but he moved on.

“Do I need a reason to give a pretty girl something nice?”

“Yes, and I’m no girl,” she * him.

“No, you’re not,” he smiled before kissing her deeply. “Then maybe my gift is too childish for you.”

Curious to what it could be Lydia demanded to see the gift. Peter laughed as he pushed himself off the bed and walked to a chair next to the door. He wasn’t trying to hide his body, unlike some men she had been with, which made him all that more attractive. He picked up his bag and pulled out a brown package before returning to the bed.

“Remember, this isn’t anything fancy.”

With eager fingers she pulled off the paper, revealing something that wasn’t as childish as he might believe. Maybe if her parents were still alive and lavished in gifts all the time she would have thought so, but that was not spoiled. She let her fingers trace the decorated red box, golden swirls along the edge, and in the centre of the box there was a beautifully painted cameo portrait of a beautiful woman. Slowly she lifted the lid, certain it was one of those music boxes to see how long it took before the music began. The ballerina was pretty, slowly twirling around and around as the beautiful music played.

“You’re a liar,” she said, not taking her eyes off the ballerina.

“Why?”

“We both know this gift isn’t cheap.” Looking at him she noticed the smirk, and it almost annoyed her. “Why?”

“Because I like you, you’re not like the rest.” As she watched him she wondered if he meant it or if i t was all a lie. She wanted to believe him but had been hurt far too many times tofall as easily, even though she was half way there.

He pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately, and when the kiss broke he squeezed lightly one of her breasts, smiling wickedly. ”Do you think we should remove this dress?” She nodded.

Peter helped her on her feet, slowly removing the first layer with a combination of soft touch and eager fingers. She wasn’t surprised by how fast Peter was at undressing her, neither shocked by how he pulled her into an embrace as soon as she was naked. Togetehr they moved towards the bed, both occupied kissing and exploring the other’s lips and tongue. Lydia could barely take the attention she was receiving, the way he worshiped her body, both with his fingers and eyes. She didn’t mind it.

Lydia moaned again as his fingers moved between her legs, teasing, pulling her towards the orgasm she craved earlier. She lay back and let him play with her body, enjoying every little touch, occasionally giving him orders of other things he could do, and he didn’t seem to mind her being in charge. When she couldn’t take his teasing she stopped him and pushed him down on the bed, straddling him as she wanted earlier. His hard flesh entered her, teasing her sensitive walls.

“Are we there already?” he joked.

“Clearly you don’t know me,” she smiled before kissing him deeply, moving just enough to cause some friction to his cock which in return made him moan. “Because if you knew me properly, you would know I’m not done with you.” He smiled and moved his hands to the headboard of the bed, gripping the wooden frame. “Is that what you like?” she asked and quickly reached for the scarves tied around the poles. Peter didn’t protest as she tied him up, in fact, it seemed to excite him, his cock pulsing between her legs as it had slid out while she reached for the scarves.

“One day I’ll tie you up,” he said as he tested the knots.

“We’ll see about that,” Lydia smiled back.

Shifting her hips, she managed to position herself so she could slip his cock in with ease, something which seemed to excite him even more as he groaned before laughing. “You’re something,” he said and lifted his hips to deepen the penetration slightly more.

Lydia smiled as she took charge of the situation, riding him slowly, making him lose his mind, making him wish he was free so he could take her as roughly he wanted. She moved faster and harder, her breasts bouncing as she rode him, enjoying the few things he did as well. She used her nails to claw at his chest, smiling as he groaned before faint red lines formed just seconds later. He squirmed beneath her, moaning louder as she moved even faster, riding in a special way to get as much friction as possible. The few seconds before she reached her orgasm she looked at Peter, her breath caught in her chest as she could see just how much he desired her, something she hadn’t seen in a long time.

Her orgasm hit her hard, it was wonderful, a pleasant tingling warmth exploded through her body, her mind going numb for a second as her mouth fell open and she cried out the intense pleasure she felt. She was not aware of the saliva which trickled down her lips and on his chest, neither was she aware of his groans as she dug her nails into his chest. After ten seconds of being in the most wonderful stage did she calm down, enough to realise that there was blood on his chest from where her nails had been. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled before closing her eyes again to enjoy the remaining seconds.

“Don’t apologise, it was so wonderful to watch.” She smiled, and even though she was used to compliments, it still made her blush.

Resting her upper body on him, she kissed his chest. His cock slipped out of her, and she was surprised he didn’t complain about not having come a second time. She wondered if he was able to come again so shortly after the first time, but decided to wait until later to find out.

Somehow she managed to assemble enough energy to undo the knots, giving him the opportunity to caress her body. “I’m sorry, I’ll make you come once I feel more awake,” she said, listening to his beating heart.

“Relax, take your time, I’m planning to stay the whole night, will even pay double if needed.”

Lydia smiled, not doubting he would pay double, which made her wonder where he got the money from. “Keep your money, you’ve paid far more than you should have for a whore like me.”

“You’re no whore, you’re a courtesan, pleasing me in many different ways.” Lydia wasn’t ashamed of what she was, as she had chosen her path, unlike so many others. However, being referred to as a courtesan did sound better.

“You are such a charmer.” She let her body relax, finding herself breathing in and out at the same tempo as he was, feeling her mind drift away as she was exhausted from both working in the house and riding Peter.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Lydia should have known that everything good would come to an end, there was something about the way the world worked, where it gave a little, and took a lot; unless people were greedy and helped themselves.

The first thing which happened after the amazing weekend she had with Peter was the news about his friend being arrested and accused of being a notorious diamond thief. It was one of the girls who came back from from town who informed the rest of the house about the arrest. It was big news in the small local town.

“What about the other one?” one girl asked, looking nervously at Lydia. Lydia hadn’t tried to hide the fact that he was her customer, but none of the girls knew just how attached she was to him.

“They haven’t found him yet, but I’m sure it will be a matter of no time.” Lydia wished she knew where he was hiding so she could warn him before he was taken as well, but as she didn’t know much about him there was nothing she could do. Retreating to her room she stared at the music box, before carefully caressing the lid with her fingers.

Lydia wasn’t psychic, not in the typical way that one of the women at the fair was, telling the future by looking into a glass ball or reading their palm. Her gifts, if it could be called that, was more about certain feelings she got whenever she met someone, that was how she knew she was missing something.

She didn’t know what, and she didn’t know if she would ever discover the missing piece, but she knew there was more to the story. “Where are you?” she asked Peter as if he could hear her, wishing he could so she wouldn’t have to worry, even though worrying about a stranger was stupid.

Knowing she couldn’t waste the whole day fearing for his safety she went down to the kitchen to check on the dinner, as the girls had to come before any criminal.

The next thing which happened that changed her life was that Gerard paid her a visit. “Lydia, Mr Argent is here, he wants to speak with you,” the girl bringing her the message said, looking slightly nervous.

Lydia nodded and went to see what the man wanted, only to be surprised by his request.

“Why don’t we go somewhere more private, like your room?” She knew any private chat was not good when he was involved, or his two goons who followed him everywhere. And while a voice inside her head was screaming _‘don’t do it!’_ she couldn’t refuse him and lead him to her room before she closed the doors, the goons having stopped outisde her room.

“What do I owe this pleasure?” she asked, pretending she didn’t know about Peter’s companion being imprisoned.

“I wish I didn’t have to do this, as you’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve seen,” he breathed, slowly closing the space between them. Lydia tried her hardest to hide just how nervous she was, wondering what he would do next. “There are some rumours going around town, that you have invited the older outlaw into your bed.”

“I don’t see why it’s any of your concern, it was simply business.” Lying would not be good, she didn’t need any tiny voice telling her that.

Gerard’s wicked little smile was still plastered on his face, making her feel uncomfortable. “If business was what you were looking for I could have given it to you a long time ago, all you had to do was ask.” He smiled and reached for her cheek with the back of his fingers, sending a shiver down her back, a shiver she was certain not even a hot bath could get rid of. “I would gladly have given you more business, which you wouldn’t forget easily.” Lydia was sure of it, but she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to anger him.

“He paid well, and as the house needs repairements I accepted his offer,” she added, needing to blame something besides her desire to bed the stranger.

“If you were so desperate for some repairements then you could have come to me, I would have helped you.” Lydia knew there was no nice way to tell him she didn’t want his hands on her body so she thanked him and promised to do that next time. “Before I forget why I came, do you know where I might find him?”

“I do not, he never mentioned where he might be staying.” She was glad she didn’t have to lie, not that lying was difficult to do to a man who she just couldn’t stand.

“You wouldn’t lie to me to keep him safe now, would you?”

“I assumed he was staying in town, as most visitors do, and I don’t make it a habit to question anyone.” He didn’t seem convinced, and when he moved even closer with a wicked smile, she was certain he would hurt her. As he grabbed the back of her head she was even more certain, but then he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, his nasty tongue pushing through her stiff lips. Lydia kept back the urge to push him away, knowing it would make her seem suspicious, so she let hers move slightly as well. He was not the worst man she’s been with, in looks, but there was something about his personality which scared her.

Someone knocked on her door and Gerard pulled back. It was one of his goons, telling him they received a note about someone sneaking around the prison.

“I’ll be right there,” Gerard snapped, which caused the goon to retreat. “Looks like we will have to continue this conversation at a later time,” he said and took her hand, but instead of kissing it as she feared he would he placed a coin in her palm. With one last nasty smile he left her. As soon as he was gone she hurried to one of the vodka bottles and took a large sip, finding that even the alcohol didn’t completely remove the nasty feeling that still clung to the inside of her mouth. As the second sip didn’t help she called out for one of the girls to prepare a hot bath, hoping that maybe it was enough to make her feel well again.

Once the bath was ready in one of the smaller rooms she told the girls she needed to relax the rest of the night and should only be called upon if absolutely needed, something they agreed on. Dipping her body into the hot water felt nice, calming her cold muscles until she could finally relax again. First she washed her body, and then she lay back and closed her eyes, concentrating on how nice her arms felt floating in the water.

She felt so relaxed that she wasn’t aware of the door opening before it was too late, and then a man cleared his voice. Her body went cold as she feared Gerard had returned, but as she opened her eyes she saw another smiling face, a face belonging to someone who had the ability to make her body melt.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered loudly, her voice faint.

“Don’t worry, I paid them all to keep quiet about me being here.” She didn’t appreciate him buying the rest of the house, but wasn’t going to argue over something which was already done.

“What do you want, to buy me as well?” memories of Gerard’s kiss still haunted her and made it impossible for her to enjoy seeing Peter there right then.

“I wanted to see you,” he said.

“Your friend is in jail, and you wanted to see me?”

“He’s exactly where he needs to be, and I am where I need to be, you shouldn’t worry about us.” It was all a part of a plan, she could see that, but she wasn’t certain what kind of plan he had.

“So what are you supposed to be doing here?”

“Nothing important, just checking up on what I desire the most.” She rolled her eyes, unable to shake off the feeling as if he was lying, or not telling the whole truth. “How have you been?” he asked, pulling a chair next to the bathtub. Even though she was wearing her thin dress she couldn’t help feeling naked under his eyes, not that she hated it.

“How long since you visited me last?”

“A lot could have happened in a short time you know.” That was true, and a lot did happen.

“The sheriff paid me a visit, he thinks the only reason I accepted you in my bed was because the house needs repairs, he then offered his own _services_. Just before that he left he kissed me, and I still feel horrible.”

“He does have that effect on people.” It sounded as if he knew Gerard somehow, but Lydia didn’t bother asking. “However, I do know the perfect remedy to forget about him.”

“And what is that?” she asked, somehow thinking she knew.

He leaned down and kissed her, his warm tongue entering her willing mouth. It was nice and filled her with a hot sensation which Gerard was unable to do. She then felt his hand cupping her wet breast, and she wished she didn’t have the dress on to feel his skin against hers, but that didn’t matter as he pinched her nipple the next moment, forcing a gasp out of her occupied lips. Her whole body became warm under his touch.

Slowly his hand moved down her belly, down until he reached her parted legs, slowly slipping into her her. She let her head fall against the back of the bathtub as he played with her, adding a second finger shortly after, moving upwards to those soft spots which would make her do anything he wished.

His skilled fingers combined with his skilled tongue pushed her towards her orgasm, then he whispered sensual things into her ear, telling her everything he wished to do to her, which was all it took for her to come. Gasping for air she held his arm as the pleasant sensation passed through her body, making her forget about anything bad in her life.

As her body returned to normal a thought hit her, almost as if an orgasm made her brain put together pieces which could show her the true reason behind Peter’s appearance.

She wanted to ask, but figured she should take it slow as she didn’t want to scare him away. “That was nice,” she smiled. After he leaned down to kiss her once more she decided to ask him one of the questions she had.

“When will you be leaving?” she asked. He confirmed her thoughts by looking away slightly nervous. “I assume you’re not planning to settle in this town, especially not with Gerard in charge.” She wondered if he would lie to her, or if he would be a man and tell her the truth.

“If everything goes as planned we will be gone before Friday.” She felt sad knowing she wouldn’t see him after, but knew their relationship could never work, not in the town at least. “I wish I could be here longer, but unless I want a noose around my neck I have to leave.”

The worst part about knowing he would leave was that Gerard would seek her out, and there would be nobody left who could make her feel all warm after he enjoyed himself afterwards. Maybe she should take the gold he gave her and leave as well, start over somewhere else, maybe in another trade.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, breaking through her thoughts.

“I have to leave as well, as Gerard will stop at nothing to have me.” He seemed deep in thought as he watched her.

The bathwater was no longer warm so she stood up and took the towel around her. Removing the dress she made sure her skin was dry. It came as no surprise that he couldn’t keep his hands off her, cupping one breast while sucking on her neck. She giggled at his eagerness, until she remembered he would eventually leave.

“Wish we could always stay in my room, and nobody could ever interrupt us,” she said wishful, he laughed against her neck before agreeing.

“I will have to leave soon, have something I need to do today.”

“Does it involve your friend?”

“Yes,” he admitted before pulling her into a deep kiss. She wanted to ask him if they were diamond thiefs, but decided against it as she had a few more days left, and a task of her own to do.

“Will I see you again?” She tried to avoid becoming too hopeful, but it would be a lie if she said she wouldn’t be greatly disappointed if that was their last time together. He left her before she was fully clothed, saying he couldn’t stay as long as he wished.

Once back in her room, after Peter left, she sat down in front of her mirror, staring at the music box. She lifted it up in her hands, concentrating on the weight. While she hadn’t held a music box in a long time she was certain there was something off with it. Opening it, she stared at the inside. It looked normal, but as she studied the tiniest details she noticed fragments of some kind of glue, if she wasn’t mistaken. Pulling out her letter opener she poked at the edge between the cover and the box, pleased when it gave in and popped up.

Pulling the top off, she gasped at the sight in front of her. The box was loaded with diamonds, big, small, coloured and clear. They were all set in wax so she couldn’t tell how many they were, but she knew the accusations were right, Peter and his friend were diamond thieves.

  



	5. Chapter 5

Lydia was not as shocked by discovering the diamonds as she imagined she could be. She promised herself a long time ago she would not get involved with criminals, but that promise would never last as she couldn’t wait for the next time Peter would pay her a visit, if he would.

Knowing then just how valuable the box was she hid it beneath one loose floorboard, as it felt safer when nobody knew where it was. She was certain Peter would come to her one last time before leaving, maybe he would pay her for one last time together, only to steal, or switch, the music box. It was a clever plan, but it did make her wonder if they had done something similar before, if there were other girls out there with a similar music box.

Not long after she discovered the diamonds someone told her that Mrs McCall was hurt, and her son was beaten and imprisoned. Lydia didn’t know the family that well, but as Allison were sort of dating Scott, Lydia decided to pay her a visit, in case she needed anything.

Allison was saddened about what happened with Scott, but she was fine otherwise. Once Lydia was pleased with the visit they said goodbye and she left Allison, who was drawing with charcoal.

Once outside the room she was reminded of the reason why she mostly stayed away from the Argent household as Gerard stopped her before she could leave. He asked if she could spare him a moment. Lydia knew him well enough to know that beneath his smile he was hiding a darkness. Sadly she needed to act as if she wasn’t aware of just how evil he could be so she agreed.

Again he inquired about Peter, but unlike before he had reason to believe she did know of his whereabouts.

“A little birdie informed me that the outlaw was seen leaving your establishment yesterday.”

She could try to deny the accusation, but she was certain he wouldn’t accuse her of something like that unless he had proof. Her eyes flickered quickly at the two goons shifted slightly behind him, one looking far more pleased than the other. “He showed up out of nothing, we didn’t sleep together, if that’s what you’re out after. I told him I couldn’t see him as I don’t want to be involved in anything criminal.”

“While it pleases me to hear that I still feel like you’ve betrayed me by not coming to me with that information at once he left, haven’t I been good to you?” There were many things she wanted to say right then, but she kept her mouth closed, even as he signed to one of his goons to step forward. “Why don’t you give Miss Martin a taste of what we do to people who fail to please me.”

The man, who was at least a head higher than Gerard, grabbed a hold of her shoulder and slapped her hard across her cheek. He did it so hard her neck hurt from the sudden impact as her head was forced to the side. Her skin burned, but no matter how hard it stung she would not reach for it, or cry, or beg, not as long as Gerard was a witness to her misery.

“Next time he shows up I expect you to come to me, or send one of your birdies, understood?” She nodded, her jaw hurting as she bit her teeth together to keep herself from letting him know exactly what she thought of him.

Finally allowed to leave she walked in steady paces away from the town, wondering if she was being followed. The goons were not directly behind her, but that didn’t mean her house would be safe from their prying eyes.

She was deep in thought as she imagined different ways to torture Gerard, so deep in thought that she wasn’t aware of anyone following her before one arm was wrapped around her waist and the other covering her mouth, preventing her from crying for help. As it wasn’t possible for her to scream she tried to claw her way free, but nothing she did worked and all she could do was watch in horror as she was taken into the woods. It wasn’t until they were so far away that nobody walking on the road could see them that the stranger stopped walking, and then his mouth moved close to her ear and whispered into her ear.

“It’s only me,” he said.

As soon as Peter’s hand left her mouth she turned around and hit him as hard as she could. Lydia was about to yell at him for scaring her when his hand was pressed firmly against her mouth again. “Be quiet, there are someone watching your house.” She wanted to say she didn’t care, but she did.

“You didn’t have to scare me like this, I thought you were a rapist,” she whispered loudly, not wanting whoever was watching her house to hear her. “There are other ways to catch my attention.”

“But the other ways aren’t as fun as this.” Again she slapped him. “What happened to your face?” he asked as if she hadn’t slapped him, brushing the cheek where the goon slapped her.

“Gerard found out I didn’t tell him about your visit yesterday, and decided to show me what he does with those who aren’t his minions.”

“As soon as I’ve got what I’m here for I’ll make him suffer,” Peter growled, his eyes glowing red as he was thinking about Gerard. “I’ll make him suffer,” he repeated. Lydia was pleased knowing that Peter wanted to protect her.

“Why did you pull me away? Was there something you wanted?” He was silent for a brief moment before he asked if there was any way for him to visit her the next day. Knowing about the diamonds, and about his plans to leave the town as soon as he got what he was after, she was certain she knew the reason for his request. “You can come through the back,” she suggested. They agreed on a time for their meeting before he left, but not before he kissed her breathless.

When he was gone she returned to the road, walking the remaining distance up to her home. She did notice the man standing guard, mostly because she was made aware of him, but also because he wasn’t trying to be invisible as he spat and whistled.

“Piece of shit,” she mumbled as she walked up to her room. As she washed her face she tried to think of what to do, of how to use everything she knew for her advantage, as she would not simply lie there and accept the abuse. She wasn’t sure exactly what she would do, but as Gerard would no longer be kind to her she knew she needed to get out of town.

After some thinking she pulled the music box out from the hiding spot, went out to get a few pebbles and took a candle from the supply room. Back in her room she opened the box and carefully stabbed the wax, almost gasping in fear as she felt the tip of her knife prick a diamond. She didn’t know much about diamonds, but was able to relax again as she remembered a jeweller telling her diamonds were far stronger than glass. As fear of ruining the precious stones washed away she stabbed the wax faster and harder.

“I’ll show you, I’ll show you both,” she said to herself, refusing to let either one use her.

When the diamonds were safely removed from the box she tried to clean them by removing the remaining wax, then looked around the room for something to hide them in. She could always put them in a purse, but she didn’t feel confident enough to do that. The idea of where to hide them came to her shortly, and she knew it was the perfect plan.

Pulling out a clean bodice and some thread she sat down in front of the mirror and tried to decide where it would be best to hide the diamonds. The best place was around her breasts, as her breasts were soft the hard diamonds wouldn’t be too uncomfortable. Using another bodice she sewed the two pieces together, making small pockets for the diamonds. By the time she was done with the bodice it was completely dark outside, but she still had the box left. After placing the pebbles in the box she lighted the candle and patiently waited as the wax dripped on the stones, making sure there was enough to secure them.

There was little sleep to be had that evening, her dreams being haunted by Gerard and his goons. When she finally woke up it was several hours after her normal time, the sun already high on the sky. Grumbling she got up and quickly washed her face, then took a wash cloth and cleaned the rest of her body.

She chose a dress which would take less time to get into, as she didn’t want to spend too much dressing. Lydia knew that if everything went as planned it wouldn’t be too long before she would leave leave. Knowing she couldn’t leave without the girls being taken care of she wrote a letter, naming the girl who would take over as owner, and then letter was placed inside the safe. She looked at the gold coins, knowing that even if she received them, the girls needed all the help she could give them.

Closing the safe she tried to think about something else. Luckily the groceries came so she had enough to keep herself occupied with.

The day passed quickly by, and before she knew it that darkness was once again upon them. She was anxious about Peter’s return, knowing what he was after, knowing that if he decided to open the box he would know she knew, and then he would certainly not help her out of the town.

Deciding to stay positive she shook her head and went to her room, waiting for the clock to strike eight, as that was when Peter would come. As Lydia waited she wondered if all Peter was after was the box, or if he might want something else as well.

It was time.

Taking her shawl she went out to the back and waited, not certain exactly when he would show up, or from which direction. He must have snuck up to the house before she got there as she heard a faint whisper calling her name, and it came from inside the stables.

Taking a look around the corner to where one of Gerard’s men stood guard, she hurried over to Peter and pulled him with her into the house.

She thought all the girls were occupied with the guests, but as they entered the house they walked straight into a redhaired girl. Emma was shocked, that much was clear. “Don’t tell anyone about him being here, I don’t want the guard knowing.” She smiled, nodded in agreement and picked up a pot with hot water before leaving the kitchen. Taking the servants stairway she managed to avoid other uncomfortable meetings with the other doves, not that any of them would tell on her, they were far more loyal than that.

“So, what was so important that you had to sneak in here?” she asked, wondering if he would tell her he was after the box.

He didn’t go straight for the box, instead he went for her, pulling her into his strong arms and pressed his lips against hers. Even though she knew what he was after she didn’t mind his attention, letting him pull her towards the bed as he slowly undressed her. She helped him as well, loving the way her hands passed over his toned muscles, enjoying the sweet sounds he made as she caressed his more sensitive body parts.

He didn’t rush things, which was why she was certain it was their last time together, he wanted her to remember him. She smiled softly, not because of the way he teased her neck, but because she knew that without her he would not succeed.

One of his hands wrapped around her breast as soon as she was free from the corset, pinching the nipple a few times before taking the breast into his mouth. Her body responded to every exciting touch, it burned as he moved a hand between her thighs, his fingers carefully slipping into her wet cave. Lydia held him tight and told him to continue, to do certain things again, to tell her just how much he wanted her. She knew he wouldn’t be able to last forever, but it was fun to see just how far she could push him before he snapped and claimed her.

He tried his hardest to satisfy her hunger, but all he did was feed her fire, and she continued to ask for more. She smiled wickedly when he told her just what a tease she was before settling himself between her legs, his cock pressing against her.

Lydia expected him to push in and fuck her until he came deep inside, but all he did was stare at her. “Beg,” he said, his eyes so intense she lost her breath a brief moment.

“Fuck me,” she moaned, her voice free of shame. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her, and begging was a small price to pay in order to keep him a little longer.

He didn’t wait for any further instructions as he pushed into her, his cock hard and warm, thrusting into her faster and faster, forgetting his plan to go slowly, to make sure she would never forget him. If he only knew what she was planning, then he wouldn’t care about giving her the perfect last time, instead he would take her so hard she would have troubles sitting the next day.

Even though he was softer than before she still enjoyed everything he did, and he was excellent at knowing what she wanted, what she needed. Every time he did something good he knew it, and repeated the act until Lydia was almost shaking beneath him. Her hands caressed his strong arms, nails digged into his skin as she gasped whenever he hit that right spot. He read her body like an open book, knowing exactly what to do at the right time, knowing how to leave her whimpering in need beneath him, knowing how to make her scream out his name, but she didn’t in fear of Gerard’s guards hearing her.

He continued like that until she became impatient and begged for him to make her come. “So eager, don’t you want me to pleasure you over, and over, and over again?” he whispered, each time he said _over_  he thrusted his hips into her, causing her to moan.

She smiled as he stopped and leaned down to kiss her. “I want that, but right now I want to be fucked hard.” Peter’s smile made her feel warm all over as he shifted above her, positioning himself such that he could obey her wishes.

The bed moved beneath them, making so much noise she was certain the man standing guard would hear it. If he knew it was her room he might have reacted, but nobody barged into her room so she doubted he knew.

Every thrust hit the right places, sending waves of pleasure through her eager body, pushing her closer and closer to the edge. He came first, his animalistic groans deep as his cock pulsed inside her. Being close that was all that was needed for her to join him a few seconds later as his body grinded against hers. She loved  feeling him inside her, on top of her, breathing deeply as her body trembled beneath him. He looked tired, but even then he still thrusted a few more times into her, moving one hand down between her legs and teasing her until everything had passed and she lay there exhausted.

“Was this to your satisfactory?” he asked.

“Indeed it was” she replied with a smile.

Pulling the blanket on top of them he curled up behind her, his arms pulling her close. She knew he was up to something, but chose to go along with his game anyway.

Lydia was tired, having used a lot of energy cleaning the house earlier. Slowly, without meaning to, her mind started drifting. Luckily as he tried to sneak out of bed she was aware of it, but kept still, trying to copy her slow breathing from before so he wouldn’t think she was awake.

He fell for it as he moved to her desk, doing something she couldn’t see. He ruffled through his clothes, then she heard him do something on her desk, then more shuffling of clothes before everything went silent again. She hoped he would not open the box before leaving, as that would certainly destroy her plan. Once he was done he dressed himself and snuck out of the room without waking her.

She felt slightly betrayed as he didn’t even say goodbye, but Lydia would not let his actions anger her.

Slipping out of bed she moved over to her desk, her eyes instantly drawn to a letter resting against the music box. Ignoring the letter she lifted the box, smiling wickedly as it was lighter. If he believed he could use her and get away with it then he had another thing coming.

Picking up the letter she read it, her lips pressing into a thin line as she rolled her eyes at the idiotic message where he told her just how much she meant to him, and that he would never forget her. Sighing she folded the letter and pushed it into her purse, planning to burn it later.

It said nothing about him leaving that same evening, but Lydia was certain his time of departure would be soon, as he had his box, but he still didn’t have his companion, and no matter how egotistical he was, he wouldn’t leave without his friend.

Knowing the final day was close she packed a small bag with the most important things she had, a picture of her family, some jewelry which she inherited from her grandmother, and a few other trinkets that she would miss if she had to leave the next moment.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Standing in front of her closet the next day she wondered which dress would be easiest to run away in. She couldn’t pick a dress which would make it impossible for her to move in, which left her with few options; her dresses were made to please the eye, not for running away in.

She didn’t know if that was the day they would leave, but she couldn’t take any chances. Putting on the diamond bodice, she picked a red dress which was made of a lighter material. Lydia had barely left her room when she heard some awful news about Peter’s friend, they were going to hang him. As far as she knew there was no legal hearing where he was found guilty, so it looked like the town, or more like Gerard, was planning to execute a man who hadn’t been found guilty. Even though she didn’t know him she still found the news appalling.

Peter would certainly hear about it, and then she could only imagine what he would do, how he would most likely rush his plans to save his friend. Not wanting to be left behind, especially as she had worked hard to come up with a plan which could work, she took her purse and told one of the girls she would be heading in to town.

Not certain when the hanging would be, or when Peter might go through with his plans, she walked fast, and by the time she reached the town her heart was beating hard and her skin was slightly damp. The air in the town was tense, people standing in groups, whispering; there was no mistake over what they were discussing. She quickly discovered the hanging wouldn’t be until the next morning, but that didn’t mean Peter wouldn’t try to free him that same evening.

Not wanting people to think something was up she went to Allison’s place. It was always nice being with her friend, even though the only thing they had in common was fashion, and interests in men. Allison confessed her worries about her sweetheart, telling Lydia that her family didn’t like him much, that they were trying to convince Allison to stop seeing him, and some even threatened her, saying that if she didn’t obey them they would throw her out of the family.

“For some reason I doubt they will do so, you’re the only heir they have.”

“You don’t know what they can do,” Allison mumbled, looking far more depressed than she had when Lydia entered the room. Deciding to switch the conversation over to happier news she tried to tell Allison about the latest fashion. Allison’s face brightened slightly as they talked about dresses, hats and shoes.

It was dark outside when Lydia decided it was time to get going, in case Peter decided to strike at night, which was something she would do. Allison on the other hand didn’t seem to be ready, so Lydia mentioned one thing she knew would put Allison off the thought of a night long discussion about boys and art.

“What do you think about the hanging?” Lydia asked as they were done looking at a painting of a war.

Allison scrunched her nose as she stared at her fingernails. “I don’t like it, but I guess he is paying for what he did.” While Allison cared about the people in the town, she had little feelings about others, especially criminals. Sometimes it annoyed Lydia that Allison was so determined on who she did and didn’t like, but said nothing about her own family, where both her grandfather, parents and aunt were living off the hard work of the rest of the town. It wasn’t Allison’s fault that she was born in such a family, but Lydia wondered if she would ever care about the things the townspeople went through. Lydia was certain she wouldn’t be that different if she lived the same life as Allison, but her destiny took her into a different direction.

“I heard Gerard didn’t give him a proper trial.”

“He wouldn’t have to if he was found guilty somewhere else,” Allison replied. While she was partly right Lydia didn’t like her way of thinking, maybe because she knew Gerard, and knew he would sacrifice an innocent boy in order to capture Peter.

It was completely dark outside when she left Allison’s home, and there was still no Peter to be seen. Standing in the middle of the road she wondered if she could be mistaken, if everything that happened until that day was trick of her mind, that maybe Peter was worse than Gerard and he’d somehow fooled her into believing the opposite. The diamond bodice was enough to tell her that he was not as innocent as she might have hoped for, but she still didn’t want to let him go.

“What are you doing out here?” a familiar voice asked. Lydia couldn’t prevent herself from shivering as she turned and faced Gerard.

“I was paying Allison a visit,” she answered honestly. Even though she wasn’t lying she knew there was a chance for him to think she was.

“Really, so you weren’t worried about your sweethearts friend who will hang in the morning?” She shook her head and was about to answer when he interrupted her. “You might think I’m an old fool, and you might be right at times, but that doesn’t mean I will fall for your innocent act, especially as I know you’ve been screwing him behind my back.” He moved dangerously close to her, and no matter how many steps she took backwards the sheriff still gained in on her. “I’m tired of giving you free passes and receiving nothing in return, so now I’ll take what’s rightfully mine.”

She didn’t have to say anything else as she knew perfectly well what he meant. “No,” she screamed as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her with him towards the sheriff’s station.

“Once this is all over, once you lover is dead, as well as his partner in crime, then I’m going to show you what I do with disobeying servants.” She continued to fight, trying to free her hand from his hold, screaming for help. She could see the curtain of some windows parting slightly, but nobody helped her, they were all afraid, either that or they thought she deserved it.

Lydia couldn’t blame them, having lived under his terror for so long they had forgotten how it was before him. It was before her time, of course, but she’d experience enough to know how people in other towns were living.

“You won’t get away with this,” she called out as he threw her into an empty cell.

“You’re mistaken my dear, I _will_  get away with this, in fact, I already have. Sadly I won’t enjoy you before the criminals are captured, but rest assure, as soon as their dead bodies hangs in the town centre I’ll return to take you, and make you regret sneaking behind my back with that wolf.”

Lydia didn’t question his threat, he was not a good man. However, she had not planned on being locked up in a prison cell, leaving one goon behind to watch her.

She discovered she was not alone in the prison, the cell next to her was occupied by Peter’s friend. The goon although ordered to keep an eye on them, was not that interested in his job, and shortly after he fell asleep in his chair.

Taking the opportunity she went to the wall of bars parting hers and the sleeping form of Peter’s friend.

“Hey,” she whispered, nervously looking over at the goon. “You,” she whispered louder, wondering if she would have to throw something at him to make him notice her. He wasn’t sleeping as a brief moment later one eye opened slightly and stared at her. He looked nothing like Peter, his expression less playful, his body language pretectful.

He didn’t answer verbally, but his look did. “Will Peter come?” she asked, hoping he knew what she meant. If he did he didn’t say, neither did his expression reveal anything helpful. Lydia knew it couldn’t be easy for him to trust her, as he probably didn’t know her, but she couldn’t let them escape without her, she needed to get away from the town just as much as they did.

“I need his help,” she continued, hoping that even if he didn’t care he would help her. It didn’t seem like he would break anytime soon, so she decided to use the only security she had. “I have the diamonds.”

That did catch his attention, and with the same gloomy expression he walked towards her. “You have them?” She nodded, moving slightly back. “Did he give them to you?” Lydia shook her head, almost fearing the way his expression seemed to darken.

“He doesn’t know I have them, and you will never get them unless you help me.” The silence which followed made her feel like a young girl again.

Both their eyes moved over to the sleeping form of the goon when he made some sounds, luckily he wasn’t awoken by them.

“And what kind of help do you require?” he asked with a sarcastic tone. She wasn’t a fool and knew Peter probably had a girl in every town he went to, and while it saddened her that she was no more special than others, she was determined to use him to get away from the town.

“I want in on your game.”

“And what if we say no, what if your boyfriend doesn’t want you?”

She’d considered those options before, but knew it wouldn’t stop her to go through with her plan. “Then he can tell me himself.” Even though there was a chance he didn’t want her, she couldn’t help hoping he did, as she most definitely wanted him. “But until he confesses what he wants I’m in charge of the diamonds, and if you want them back you better do as I say.”

For a brief second he seemed impressed, but he quickly hid his expression the next second. “Unfortunately for you our plan does not include breaking a girl out of a second cell.”

“Do you know how to pick a lock?” she asked.

“Of course.” His reply amused her, but she didn’t let him know. “You need a tool, and a lock.”

While she didn’t know exactly how it worked, she knew that a hairpin might work. “Will this work?” He wasn’t as shocked as she imagined he would be, but neither pleased.

“So what are your plans?” he asked the next second. “What will you do once you’re free? Will you beg him to keep you? Will you demand he should never see another woman?”

“I will demand that I go with you, I will have to wait and see at what happens after that. Now, tell me how to unlock this lock.”

The stranger guided her through it, and after several attempts she did it. It tempted her to try and sneak out of the prison, but it would ruin her plans. She let the unlocked door stay closed, hoping the guard wouldn’t check it.

“When will he come for you?” she asked the friend.

“As soon as he’s got the treasure.”

“And when will this be?”

“Tonight I suppose.” She rolled her eyes at his reply, hating how he avoided giving her a clear answer.

“Let me refrain that, I have your diamonds, when, and how, will Peter come to get you?”

“Aren’t you a determined whore? I didn’t think you lot had such guts.” She knew her profession made her open for some critique, but that didn’t mean his words didn’t hurt.

“My guts comes from having to deal with dicks like you most of my life, now tell me how he’s going to free you.”

The stranger seemed startled by her reply, but chose the next moment to let her in on their plans. “There are no plans, we try to avoid being caught, and if either of us are, well, the other will attempt to rescue the one caught.”

“Are you serious? How have you both survived this long?” She was no mastermind, but Lydia knew a plan was the best way to prevent one of them, or both, being hanged.

“Hey!” it was the goon, he’d finally woken. “What are you two doing? Get away from each other.” Lydia took a step away from the stranger, afraid that the goon might decide to move closer and discover her cell was open.

“I was just talking, it’s lonely in this cell.”

“If you’re lonely I can keep you company,” the goon answered.

“Then I’d rather be lonely,” she said before she had a chance to think about her answer. He stood up, and slowly walked towards her, doing the one thing she tried to prevent. Her heart beat harder for each step he took, fearing that at any moment he would see the lock and then tell Gerard, and then she was certain no man could free her.

“And what will you do if I decide to keep you company? Who in this town do you think cares about your kind?”

“I’m certain Gerard would mind if you touched me, especially if you hurt me.” At that he seemed to stop, but even as he knew she was basically Gerard’s property, he still wanted her.

“He wouldn’t have locked you in here if he cared about you.”

“He locked me in here _because_  he cares, this way that bad man won’t get me.” That was when she decided to take charge of the situation. “But, if you would be so kind and get me something to eat,” she began, walking seductively over to the cell door, “then I would be really pleased, and who knows, I might decide to reward you.” He was too stupid to understand she was playing with him and almost instantly ran out of the office to make her something to eat.

Lydia turned towards the stranger and smiled, it was finally his turn to roll his eyes. “I can’t believe he fell for that,” he said, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the wall. “So, what are you going to do now that he’s out of here?”

She didn’t speak, instead she opened her cell door, pulled out her hairpin and tried to open his door before the goon returned. “Let me guess, you’re going to prove to me why we need you on our team?”

“I don’t have to prove anything, I’ve got the diamonds, remember?” He must have forgotten a brief moment as he became quiet, and in the next moment the door was unlocked. “We have to leave before he returns,” she said, walking over to the door to see where the rest of the people were.

Lydia feared that the same moment they ran Gerard or one of his goons would see them and capture them, but they were lucky and nobody saw them. She followed the stranger over to the forest, not certain where they were going, but she knew she needed to get as far away from Gerard’s claws as possible.

“What is your name?” she whispered as they walking towards the forest.

“Derek,” he replied, looking as if he wasn’t happy with her company. “And you’re Lydia, don’t think he hasn’t told me about you, but you’re clearly more capable of taking care of yourself that he gave you credit for.” Lydia didn’t know if she should be proud of such a comment or annoyed that Peter thought she was weak. “So what is _your_  plan now that we’re finally free?”

“Get out of town,” she replied determinately, not even bothering to look at him as the darkness hid his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Her new companion was a man of few words, and many facial expressions, mostly different gloomy or annoyed expressions. She wasn’t sure what she believed he would be like, but as she knew Peter she believed his friend would be similar. He was not.

He seemed bothered by the few questions she asked, and looked like he wasn’t certain if he should tell her his name or not when she asked. He did give her his name eventually, but even then she couldn’t be certain it was his real name or not. Derek, the name he gave her, seemed to accept most of her ideas of how they could escape the town, he wasn’t excited, and rarely spoke his mind, but he kept following her.

Lydia learned from Derek that Peter was out after something valuable Gerard kept in his safe, something which, based on the little information she received, was worth so much they could travel anywhere they wanted once they had the object in their possession. When she asked him where they planned to go he said it was none of her business and became silent for a long time after.

“Do you honestly don’t know where Peter is hiding?” she asked Derek about one or two hours after they escaped. He denied knowing anything, something she didn’t believe at all. “If I wanted to I could have taken the diamonds and left, but I didn’t.”

“And how can I be sure you have the diamonds at all, how can I be sure you’re not lying in order to get to the real diamonds?”

Lydia knew she could spend a great deal of time arguing, trying to convince him that she did have them, but decided to show him instead. She closed the space between them and took his hand, before he could protest she pressed the palm of his hand against her breast. At first he was startled by her actions and tried to pull his hand away from her as if he’d been burned, but then he stopped and squeezed lightly. The diamonds shifted slightly, one or two poking her, but it wasn’t more uncomfortable than some of the corsets she’s worn.

“How can I be sure those are in fact the diamonds?” he asked as he pulled his hand away from her breast, looking slightly less annoyed than before, or maybe more annoyed, she couldn’t tell.

“You will have to trust me, like I will have to trust you’re not a murdering rapist.” He seemed offended by her but didn’t argue. “I’m sure I’m not the first girl Peter has been with, and I don’t expect him to drop everything because of me, but I want out of this town, and I want a more exciting occupation.”

“You want to join us?”

“Haven’t I said that before?” she moaned, annoyed by how slow his mind seemed to work at times.

“Life on the run isn’t as romantic as you might imagine.” Lydia wanted to punch him, like she would have done Peter if he accused her of not knowing what she wanted, but as she didn’t know how Derek would react she didn’t do it.

“So, where is Peter hiding?” Derek must have understood then that Lydia was more than lovestruck girl as he agreed to show her.

While their camp wasn’t easily spotted, neither was it hidden well. Lydia stared at the primitive setting, questioning herself if she could do it. _Anything is better than staying here with Gerard_. She knew that is she tried to run away he would probably hurt her and have her locked up, after his goons has hunted her down. The safest plan was to leave with Peter and Derek, as they already knew how to hide.

“Where is he?” she asked Derek as she failed to see Peter anywhere.

“He must have gone after the diamonds, or me.” She stared at him, again wondering how they had survived for so long. “He hasn’t leaved, if that’s what you think.”

“I wasn’t thinking that,” she said. Again she questioned how they had survived for so long.

“Then why are you looking at me with that judging look?”

“I wondered what you were worth to Peter, how do you know he wouldn’t simply abandon you?”

“Because we don’t abandon family.” Lydia wasn’t certain if Derek had meant to say it, or if it had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself, but the look that washed over his face the next moment looked like pain. Lydia then wondered if he meant that Peter was his real family, or the criminal family.

“I say we better find him so he won’t waste time trying to break you out of the prison, now that you’re already out.” There was a small chance Peter would know Derek escaped if the rest of the town heard he escaped, but she wasn’t willing to bet on him being informed.

They both agreed on a simple plan, find Peter, try to break into the safe, and get as far away from the town as possible. Derek was still not pleased about her joining them, but he was no longer protesting.

They found their way into the town again, hiding in the shadows of the town.  They both knew what would happen if they were discovered, Derek would most likely be shot where he stood, and Lydia… she shuddered at the thought of what Gerard might do to her as she knew just how twisted and ruthless he could be.

“Where is he?” she asked Derek as they couldn’t see Peter.

“In the sheriff’s private home,” Derek replied as if it was the most logical place to be.

Lydia wanted to tell Derek just how stupid that was, that Gerard was not like any other sheriff, but she figured she could lecture them once they were all safe. “What if he gets caught?”

“Then it’s our job to try and save him.”

“And what if he gets killed?”

“Then it’s our job to mourn him.” Lydia hated the answer, but knew there was nothing she could do.

They continued to stay hidden as they moved closer to Gerard’s home, the house which she knew knew had at least one servant working there at all times.

She didn’t know how long they were waiting in the darkness of the town, but her stomach was growling loudly by the time they saw Peter, or they believed they saw him. Lydia knew enough about the Argent house to know which of the rooms were Gerard’s study, and she knew where his safe was hidden.

The dark sky was already brightening, shades of yellow and red spreading across the blue sky as they waited. She could only pray and hope that Peter would find whatever he was looking for and escape before Gerard would discover him.

It must be past six when anything started happening, when her life would change all over again.

Peter found what he was looking for, then left the house, taking the back door which was close to where Derek and Lydia were waiting. At first he was startled, having not expected to see them, but he quickly lowered his gun as he realised it was only them.

“What are you doing here?” he asked Derek. “You were supposed to be in jail.”

“Your little lover broke me out,” Derek said rather careful. Peter’s gaze moved over to Lydia, giving her one of his rather naughty smirks.

“We better leave before someone notices what happened,” Lydia said, surprised at how casually the two men were in a situation like that, and it made her wonder just how many times either one had been caught.

The two men nodded in agreement and they all left, but things were not as easy as that. Someone saw them leave, Lydia did not know who, but that person alerted Gerard, or one of his goons at least, and barely two minutes after they escaped the town they heard someone shouting something about the criminals not too far from them.

“Do you have horses?” Lydia asked as they were running up the mountain side. Neither man replied, their expressions were enough to make her sigh. “How on earth have you survived until now?” she wondered, not really expecting either to answer. “Where are the horses you rode in on?”

“They were stolen,” Peter replied. Somehow she wasn’t surprised by their lack of plans, not after her short time with Derek in the prison, witnessing just how relaxed he was about hte fate of his life.

“You’re really bad at this,” she remarked.

It surprised her that Derek was the one protecting them. “This isn’t our profession, you know, it’s not like we do this kind of thing every week.”

“They’re getting closer,” Peter remarked as the voices of the men chasing them was closer than ever, and they would soon capture them unless a miracle happened.

She knew then what she needed to do, even though it could mean the end of her life. Stopping she turned back to see just how far away the goons were.

“What are you doing, run,” Peter growled, casting a nervous glance at the direction of the voices.

“I have a plan,” she said, throwing herself at the ground and digging in the earth. Under the wet moss there was dirt, and after she scooped up two large handfuls she rubbed it on her face and her dress.

“What are you doing?” Peter repeated.

“Come here, I need your help.” Peter wasn’t sure about obeying, but he closed the space between them anyway, reaching her just as she was done tugging at her. “You must help me destroy my my dress,” she said and offered him an arm. She smiled slightly as she watched his confused expression, before repeating her order.

“What is your plan, exactly?” he asked as he ripped the dress at the arm.

“I must stall them long enough for you to get away.” She pulled up the hem of her skirt and handed it to him, watching as he ripped it apart.

“No,” he argued.

“You and Derek must reach the brothel, speak to the girls, tell them there is a letter in the safe which will explain everything, and that they must hide you until tonight. I believe that once Gerard has me he won’t let me out of his sight, so he’ll most likely keep me in his house, and I need you to come and get me, none of this _every man for himself_  nonsense.”

“Why must I come after you?” Lydia forgot Peter knew nothing about her plan.

“If you want your precious diamonds you will do as I say.” It was all she said before she pushed him, telling him Derek knew the rest of the story and that they needed to leave before the goons got them. He didn’t want to leave, but Derek pulled him away, and as they were running up the hill she turned and ran down, towards the men, hoping her plan would work.

There were three men running up the hill as she moved towards them, acting like she was hurt, hoping she wasn’t overdoing it.

“Help me!” she yelled in her most feminine voice, looking scared as she fell and rolled down the hill a few feet. The expressions on their faces was comical as they stared at her, then at each other, none having expected her towards them. She didn’t have to overdo her acting at that moment as all of them ran to her, trying to help her up as softly as possible, nervously looking at each other as she screamed because of the imaginary pain.

After several minutes where the three men kept their attention on her, trying to figure out where it hurt the most, the leader of the three sent one back to town to get help, and the other to see if he could catch Peter and Derek. Lydia hoped the extra time was enough for the two men to reach the brothel, as they were her only hope.

The goon trying to look for Peter and Derek came back before the goon who went into town for help returned. “I lost their track,” he said stupidly. Lydia didn’t know the man that well, but she knew he was no tracker, and that he was probably running around the forest hoping he would stumble upon a sign which would lead him into the direction of the two criminals.

Ten minutes later, and the one who went into town returned with the doctor and Gerard.

“Lydia,” Gerard called before he hurried to her side, breathing heavier than he normally would. “What happened?”

“That man from the cell next to me, he got free and took me with him.” Gerard looked at her body, seeming distressed about her state. It looked like he believed her, but she knew better than to think she was safe; Gerard was a horrible man, but he wasn’t stupid. She wanted to tell him more, to tll him how scared she was, but feared over doing it would have an unwanted effect.

Gerard moved to the side as the doctor reached for Lydia’s body, watching her with a worried expression. It wasn’t difficult to pretend she was in pain whenever the doctor touched certain parts of her, she only needed to remember which parts were supposed to hurt more than others, so if he checked on her later he would not question her.

Once the examination was over Gerard ordered his men to carry her back to his place, as carefully as possible. As the goons carried her she couldn’t help thinking about Peter and Derek, and wondered if the diamonds were worth enough for them to save her, or if they didn’t need them and would leave her with Gerard. If they left she could always run away herself, and sell the diamonds, but she would much rather be with Peter.

“Be careful with her you fool!” Gerard shouted as the goon almost dropped her. “If you damage her then I’ll personally have you flogged.” Lydia wondered then how anyone could love that man enough to carry his children. Either the woman had to be equally crazy, or maybe he never showed that side of himself when he was younger. Whatever the reason Gerard’s dead wife had it mattered little to her right then, as Gerard was evil and would punish, or even kill her, if he knew what she was really thinking planning.

Once back in the town he ordered her to be taken to one of the guest rooms in his house. The doctor came by an hour later to check on her, as she expected him to do, and while some injuries were not as severe, she kept yelling whenever he pressed at his ribcage. Fortunately for her he didn’t ash for her to remove her clothes, so she could easily lie about imaginary bruises. “It looks like you’re badly hurt, and the best thing for you right now is relax and see what pain goes away by tomorrow, if you’re suffering just as much tomorrow I’ll have to examine you again, but for now I’ll give you something for the pain.”

“No, I’ll wait till tomorrow, my mother said that sleep was the best medicine.” The doctor accepted her excuse and left shortly after. If he gave her medication it would put her to sleep, or make her unresponsive, and she couldn’t have that if Peter was to save her.

She didn’t know how long she lay in bed when someone knocked on her door. Lydia feared it was Gerard, but instead she saw the face of her good friend Allison. Allison did not hide just how worried she was, which was why Lydia felt slightly bad for wanting to run away and not let her best friend know of it, of course, her grandfather being the person she needed to get away from did not help. Allison was a good friend, and maybe one day Lydia would tell her why, but until then all she could do was appreciate Allison, and admire the way she never turned her back on Lydia, even after she joined the profession of pleasure girls.

“Did they hurt you that badly?” she asked, looking at Lydia’s torn and dirty dress. Lydia hated to lie to Allison, but in order to make her plan work she needed everyone to believe her.

“Some were caused by them, other injuries I got from escaping, not easy running down a hill in the middle of the woods in a dress.” Allison smiled and lay a hand on Lydia’s.

“You can borrow a dress from me if you want, no need to lie in this the rest of the night.”

“You don’t have to lend me a dress, I’m not planning on going outside anytime soon.” Allison said it was no problem and went to fetch a simple dress which would be far more comfortable for Lydia.

Lydia looked up the window, wondering just how long it would take before they would come for her, if that was their intentions. For all she knew they could already be on their way out of town, as whatever they stole from Gerard was worth enough for them to go everywhere they wanted.

Allison returned a few minutes later with a simple blue dress, it was far more simple than the ones she owned, but still pretty and costly. As she needed everyone to believe she was in quite bad condition she moaned and hissed often as she tried to get out of her dress and into the one from Allison, pretending she couldn’t bend more than a certain amount, and that lifting her arms caused her great pain. Once the dress was on Allison ordered a maid to get it washed and mend it as best as they could.

“What did they do to you?”Allison asked once they were alone again.

“It was mostly threats,” Lydia said, thinking more about Gerard than Peter and Derek. “Most of the injuries were from when I was taken, or when I escaped, they never hurt me like some men could.”

“I’m so glad you’re free, I can’t imagine what I would have done if either of them hurt, or killed you.” Lydia wished she could tell Allison the truth, but she wasn’t willing to risk it all to see just how loyal Allison was.

Not long after breakfast was served, beans, bacon, eggs and toast. Lydia hadn’t realised just how hungry she was before the room was filled with the divine smell. All she wanted to do when the tray was placed on her lap was to stuff her face with the delicious food, but then she reminded herself that she was supposed to be in pain.

After having eaten she had an idea of how to deliver a message to Peter and let him know exactly where she was. She asked for some paper so she could write a letter to the brothel and let the girls know where she was so they wouldn’t worry. The letter was short, telling them that after being captured she was brought to Gerard’s home, where she would stay until she was better, and that until then all she could do was stare at the window to the shop next door. She hoped Peter and Derek were there, and that the girls would help them even though they knew nothing of the two men who were branded as criminals.

A man took her letter and rode directly to the brothel to deliver it, and then all Lydia could do was wait.

The day passed by slowly, Allison sat by her and read a book, which Lydia barely paid attention to. She found it difficult to concentrate on the book as all she could think about was how to escape by herself if the two men did not return for her.

Her anxiety of being left was calmed when one of her girls paid her a visit. Emma looked happy to see her, and after making sure she was well Emma gave Lydia a message, a message which only those who knew what was really going on would understand.

“You know those men who we’ve entertained for so long, they’ll be leaving tonight. They are good tippers, but they have plans out east and will be leaving later tonight, they are going east.” Noticing Allison’s slightly confused, as well as a slightly blushing look, Emma smiled and informed her they were a couple of tradesmen, not one of the special guests.

Understanding the meaning behind her words Lydia felt a warmth spread through her body, they would not be leaving her behind, and for a brief second she convinced herself it was because Peter liked her, but then she remembered the diamonds. If Peter wanted the diamonds then he would have to do more than rescuing her.

Emma stayed until after lunch, then returned back to the brothel. “I guess I’ll see you later then,” Emma smiled before leaving. Lydia knew Emma, and the rest of the girls, probably weren’t expecting to see her again, which was sad, but leaving them didn’t mean she couldn’t pay them a visit if she was ever close by.

The rest of the evening she decided to be more attentive to Allison, as she knew that was the last day she would see her, until the day Gerard was no longer amongst them that was.

“Are you feeling any better?” Gerard asked later that evening, when Allison was out to see Scott. Lydia held back a shiver as she watched Gerard, hating to think what he would do to her if she was not injured.

“Much better.”

“I hope your stay here is pleasant, I’ve ordered the maid to attend to your every need.”

“I’m sure I’ll be really comfortable, once the worst pain has passed.” She made sure to add the last part so he wouldn’t forget her injuries and think he could force himself on her. Remembering their conversation from before she wondered just how much Gerard believed her.

He didn’t leave at once as she wished he would have, sitting down next to her and staring at her body in an all too familiar way. “I hope that soon, once the injuries have healed, you will understand just what I’m willing to do for you, to keep you safe and well.” She knew his reason, and desires, but smiled and nodded, and thanked him as if he was the hero in the story. Again she watched his face, almost expecting him to change and tell her that he wasn’t falling for her lies of how the criminals threatened to kill her.

He left as soon as Allison returned home, which was good as Lydia couldn’t stand being nice to Gerard, even if she knew she would be out of town that same night.

Allison then stayed with her until it was so late she could barely stay awake. Lydia hoped that Gerard wouldn’t take the loneliness as an invitation to her bed. If he did he could always scream to capture someone’s attention and then blame her injuries. Luckily for her he didn’t enter her room, so all she did was sit in her bed and wait, wondering how she would escape the watched house.

It turned out to be easier than she expected as about an hour after the house fell into silence someone outside called _‘Fire!’_. Looking out of the window she saw a yellow light flickering across the town, one of the stables furthest west were burning.

It was time, she knew it, all she had to do was sneak out of the house and reach the east where Peter or Derek might be waiting for her. She heard heavy steps running out of the house, joining the people outside who were both trying to save the burning stable before the flames would spread to the houses.

She listened at her door, making sure there were nobody there before opening it and sneaking out. Slowly she made her way over to the kitchen, where she knew the backdoor would be, as that was the easiest way to make her escape. She was almost at the door when a familiar voice stopped her.

“Lydia?” Turning she stared at Allison. “What’s going on, why aren’t you in bed?”

She wished Allison hadn’t seen her, as it made everything just that much harder. “I’m sorry, I wish I wouldn’t have to lie to you, but I can’t stay here because of your grandfather,” Lydia said, listening to the men and women outside screaming around the burning house.

“Why?”

There were so many reasons she could give her, but she didn’t have time to tell her the whole story. “Your grandfather is not a good man. I told him a long time ago I would never bed another customer, and as soon as he found out I was with Peter he’s been determined to have me, and he won’t be kind to me. The criminals aren’t that bad, they’ve never hurt me. I know it’s silly, but I’ve fallen for Peter, and even if he won’t have me I’m better off seeking my fortune in the world than trying to protect myself against a sheriff who blackmails the whole town.”

Allison looked confused, but she wasn’t angry. “I understand, I think.”

Needing to give her a better memory of her leaving Lydia jumped over to her and hugged her. “I’ll see you again later, when everything is safe again, in the meanwhile you can expect letters from a Miss Lucy. I will miss many, but you most of all, you never rejected me, even after my parents died and I began to make bad choices as someone called them.”

“I could never hate you, you’ve never treated me badly.”

“You’re a good friend Allison, one of the kindest I know. I hope you and Scott have a happy life together.”

“Take care, stay safe,” Allison said and tightened the hug even further.

Pulling away she gave Allison one last smile before running into the night, towards the east of the town where she noticed both Peter and Derek were waiting. She could see Peter on a horse, reminding her of one of those knights in the books she read when she was younger.

“Missed me?” he asked teasingly as she reached him. She stopped next to him, accepting his outreached arms. He pulled her up in front of him as if she weighed nothing, then grabbed a hold of the reins.

“Did you come back only for the diamonds?” she asked, needing to know what he really wanted before letting her imagination run wild.

“Yes,” he replied. “And the stones are just a bonus.” She didn’t have a chance to smile before he pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss, spreading a warm feeling through her tired body. The kiss was broken by someone shouting in the distance, calling from more water.

“Ready to start your life on the run?” he asked.

“On the run, don’t you mean start an adventure?” They shared a smile before he ordered the horse to ride into the darkness, away from the burning town, away from the life she no longer wanted, to the adventures of the world.

 

 


End file.
